I’m by no means a bias, but if there’s one traditional market that would sell my life for – that would be the Korean market. Gwangjang, the first permanent market in Korea, has been around for over a century. Packed with more than 5000 stores within 42,000 square meters, Gwangjang is a heaven on earth for big foodies.
While food is not the only thing to be found here, it’s surely the main reason why tourists flock to it. Imagine dancing in the crispy smell, listening to the twittering chats, sneaking through the busy alleys, and inspiring your palate with good eats. Read on to find out how to get there and all the best things to try.
You might be interested in: What to Eat in South Korea: 11 Must-Try Korean Food That May Change Your Eating Habit
How to Get to Gwangjang Market by Subway?
- Subway Line 1, Jongno 5(o)-ga Station, Exit 7 (1 minute by foot).
- Subway Lines 2 & 5, Euljiro 4(sa)-ga Station, Exit 4 (2 minutes by foot)
The nearest entrance to the food section is the first line: Jongno 5(o)-ga Station, Exit 7. From there, go upstairs and the food area will be right in front of you.
The market is open from 8:30 am until 6 pm but different stores will have their own opening times. Some snack vendors are open until 11 pm while the wholesale fashion stores are open till midnight.
If food is where your heart is, make sure to come during the day. Morning is the best time of the day to conquer all your favorite food spots. Plus, the early hours are also when you can feel the vibration of the market.
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What Is Gwangjang Market Known For?
Or should I put it this way: what are the must-eats here?
Gwangjang Market will have you spoiled with choices. Some commonly found Korean snacks such as bibimbap, raw octopus, gimbap, or deep-fried fish cake. Despite the whirlwind of choices, my heart is definitely after Korean mung bean cakes, dumplings, and gimbap.
Korean Mung Bean Cake
The best place to try some authentic Korean mung bean cakes is the orange store shown in the picture below.
It should be right in the middle of the food area after you head out of Exit 7 and walk for 30 seconds. The crowd is insane but the wait time is definitely worth it.
Remember that the right queue is for takeaway while the left queue is for dine-in. You’ll see the chefs frying mung bean cake right on the hot pan with a stone mortar before mixing batter, bean sprouts, and other ingredients into the mixture.
It’s my first time trying Korean mung bean cake and it was delicious – not too heavy on the stomach nor greasy on the mouth. Everything is beautifully blended.
Gimbap
Next up, we have gimbap. The small red vendor shown in the picture below is right at a corner between two alleyways. The rice rolls are wrapped with carrots, spinach, and pickled radishes.
My favorite way to explore Gwangjang is to eat on the go. Is there anything better than working out and munching on your favorite bites to balance out the calorie deficit? Plus, you can save a lot more time sightseeing along the way too.
Dumplings
I know it can be a little filling day trying to eat everything you see at Gwangjang. However, the steamed dumplings are just too good to be ignored (A little reminder: Green for chives and orange for kimchi).
Korean Raw Beef (Beef Tartare)
On an extreme level, raw beef is also worth checking out. You eat it directly with raw egg yolk mixed in and spicy sauce. But if raw beef and raw egg yolk do not sound very forgiving on your stomach, then raw octopus should be fine to try once in a while.
Along the bustling walkways, you will see some local ladies delivering food to the nearby areas by wearing a metal tray on top of their heads running fast forward.
Interested in South Korea’s markets? Learn more about: Noryangjin Fish Market, one of Korea’s largest seafood markets
Everything You Need to Know about Korea
Explore more of our adventures around Korea:
- Travel Guide: A Pocket South Korea Travel Guide
- Attractions: Nami Island, Gwangjang Market
- Food: Ultimate South Korea Food Guide
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